Whoever knew? Hee Haw was inspired by Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,  the major difference being that the countrified series was far less political and topical, focusing on country music and rural culture. And it was just as funny . . . as well as also being  known for its voluptuous, scantily-clad women in stereotypical farmer’s daughter outfits and revealing minidresses.

Pickin’ and grinnin’, singin’ and spinnin’ tall tales and corny jokes, the citizens of Kornfield Kounty landed on television in 1969 with the arrival of Hee Haw as a summer replacement series for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.  With a cast of down-to-earth characters including Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Archie Campbell, knee-slapping comedic zingers and jaw-dropping musical performances, the comedy-variety show, co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, captivated the country.  In 1971, after two successful years, CBS dropped the show in an effort to “de-countrify” the network’s programming; however, it was quickly picked up and aired for the next 21 years, making Hee Haw the longest-running weekly syndicated original series in television history.

 

In a new-to-retail set, Time Life is releasing Hee Haw: The Collector’s Edition offers 14 Hee-larious discs featuring some of the best sketches and brightest stars from the series’ impressive 23-year history, rarely seen since their original broadcasts.  Across 21 vintage hours, viewers can sit back and be entertained by korny klassics such as “PFFT! You Were Gone,” “Gordie’s General Store,” “Board Fence,” “Cornfield” and “Moonshiners”–as well as the all-time favorites “Rindercella” and “Trigonometry.”  And because Hee Haw was a favorite stop for country music’s biggest stars and legends, this must-have box set also features hundreds of classic performances from Hall of Famers at the peaks of their careers including Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings,  Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tanya Tucker and Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty and too many others to name.

• New interviews with show regulars including Roy Clark, Lulu Roman, George Lindsey, Charlie McCoy and Jim and John Hager
• Additional bonus programming includes all-time favorite comedy from the early years in “Hee Haw Laffs,” featuring “Board Fence,” “Doctor Spot,” “Old Philosopher,” “Haystack,” “Schoolhouse” and other knee-slappers

As Zorba the Greek liked to sing . . .

Life is what you do while you’re waiting to die,
Life is how the time goes by!
Life is where you wait while you’re waiting to leave,
Life is where where you grin and grieve!

But what about the “9 Months That Made You”?  This three-part PBS program takes viewers through the astonishing journey of human gestation and its minute-by-minute genetic process. Told through a series of personal stories that introduce viewers to people born with surprising and unexpected differences, the program explores just how complex the human gestational process truly is. The riveting documentary will be available on DVD from PBS Distribution August 2; the program will also be available for digital download.

With the help of CGI, the program goes inside the womb to re-create the growth process of a fetus and explains how genetics can cause fascinating and unexpected mutations. In the initial episode, “The First 8 Weeks,” for example, viewers meet a family in Brazil whose multi-generational genetic mutation has caused half of them to grow six digits on each hand. Later, the series visits professional surfer Laird Hamilton, whose extreme sense of fearlessness is actually a genetic trait he may have passed on to his children.

Below are descriptions for each of the three episodes.

“The First 8 Weeks”
Follow the story of how a fertilized egg acquires individual traits through the gestation process. Chart the metamorphosis from the various embryonic forms you once took on until the moment around 12 weeks when you became unmistakably human.

“One of a Kind”
Learn how you became the unique individual you are. No two people—even “identical” twins—are identical. Through riveting examples, explore how your face was shaped, why you’re likely to be right-handed, even how your sexuality formed.

“The Final Countdown”
Meet the miracle that is you. See how your time in the womb, as your senses mature, has determined your destiny on the outside. Survey the latest epigenetic research that shows how the womb environment leaves its mark, even altering your DNA.

Watch, digest and leave Zorba on his own.